Common Foot Issues for Children

With the Sacramento City Unified School District’s Winter Break in our rearview mirror, students are back to the books, but we hope that your children were able to enjoy a happy, safe holiday season. True, common child foot problems can certainly cause issues all year, but it’s always a bummer when sore feet put a damper on a break from studies!

Some common foot problems we see in our young patients include:

Ingrown Toenails – These are rather common occurrences for children and they often stem from a couple of root causes. Shoes that are too tight and improper nail trimming procedures can both lead to a nail becoming ingrown. We can help by providing information on making sure kids’ footwear fits correctly and how to clip nails the right way.

Sever’s Disease – Whereas it’s not actually a “disease,” Sever’s causes heel pain for many active adolescent boys and girls. The condition is caused by variances in growth rates for the heel bone and Achilles tendon, so treatment is centered on relieving symptoms—not eliminating the condition, which your child will eventually outgrow anyway. Fortunately, this condition does not cause long-term issues.

Plantar Warts – In part, childhood curiosity contributes to the prevalence of this condition amongst young patients. When a child touches a plantar wart, the responsible virus can transfer to a different area of his or her body or person-to-person.

Pediatric Flatfoot – When it comes to childhood flatfoot, it is important to know that many times the lack of arches is normal and lines up with regular foot development. When flexible flatfoot is evident beyond the age 8, it might need to be treated…but only if painful symptoms exist.

Sports Injuries – Many children love participating in a bevy of sports and other physical activities, but the unfortunate reality is that being physically active always carries an inherent risk of injury. The good news, though, is that the nonsurgical treatment methods we use are often highly effective for getting kids back on the courts and fields.

When your son or daughter suffers with painful symptoms from a foot or ankle issue, our medical professionals can help. Contact McDowell Orthopedics & Podiatry Group and we will provide effective treatment for any of the common (and not-so-common) child foot problems that can arise. Call our Carmichael, CA office at (916) 961-3434 or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment today.